Bombings in Damascus kill 27

No one has claimed responsibility yet - not uncommon in Syria. It could be the rebels because the targets hit were limited to a police station and an intelligence headquarters. Or, it could have been al-Qaeda who it is widely believed to have set off bombs in Damascus last month.It could even be Assad planting a false flag, seeking to turn popular opinion against the rebels. But regardless of who did it, the bombings are bringing home the war to the formerly safe environs of the capitol.

Twin blasts hit the heart of Damascus on Saturday, killing at least 27 people in an attack on security installations that state television blamed on "terrorists" seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian television reported that cars packed with explosives had targeted an intelligence centre and a police headquarters at 7.30 am (01.30 am EDT), blowing the front off one building and sending debris and shattered glass flying through the streets.

Gruesome images from the sites showed what appeared to be smoldering bodies in two separate vehicles, a wrecked minivan smeared with blood, and severed limbs collected in sacks.

At least 27 people were killed and 97 were wounded, another television channel said, quoting Health Minister Wael al-Halki.

"We heard a huge explosion. At that moment the doors in our house were blown out ... even though we were some distance from the blast," one elderly man, with a bandage wrapped round his head, told a public television channel.

No one claimed responsibility for the coordinated detonations, which echoed similar attacks that have struck Damascus and Syria's second city Aleppo since December.

The explosions came just two days after the first anniversary of the uprising, in which more than 8,000 people have been killed and about 230,000 forced to flee their homes, according to United Nations figures.

They also coincided with a joint mission by the Syrian government, the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that was due to start assessing humanitarian needs in towns across Syria which have suffered from months of unrest.

One source involved in the mission said team members were still gathering in Syria and it was not immediately clear if they would begin their work this weekend as previously planned.

Kofi Annan isn't through with his efforts to convince Assad to talk to the opposition - despite the Syrian National Council refusing to discuss anything until Assad steps down. And any UN investigation into the violence will be geared toward "terrorism" and criminals" according to the Syrian government who says they are behind the unrest.

Al-Qaeda may very well be taking a hand in the revolt by sowing confusion and fear among the populace in Damascus and Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. It's a good reason not to give any material support to the rebels until we're sure that the terrorists are not working with them.

No one has claimed responsibility yet - not uncommon in Syria. It could be the rebels because the targets hit were limited to a police station and an intelligence headquarters. Or, it could have been al-Qaeda who it is widely believed to have set off bombs in Damascus last month.

It could even be Assad planting a false flag, seeking to turn popular opinion against the rebels. But regardless of who did it, the bombings are bringing home the war to the formerly safe environs of the capitol.

Twin blasts hit the heart of Damascus on Saturday, killing at least 27 people in an attack on security installations that state television blamed on "terrorists" seeking to oust President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian television reported that cars packed with explosives had targeted an intelligence centre and a police headquarters at 7.30 am (01.30 am EDT), blowing the front off one building and sending debris and shattered glass flying through the streets.

Gruesome images from the sites showed what appeared to be smoldering bodies in two separate vehicles, a wrecked minivan smeared with blood, and severed limbs collected in sacks.

At least 27 people were killed and 97 were wounded, another television channel said, quoting Health Minister Wael al-Halki.

"We heard a huge explosion. At that moment the doors in our house were blown out ... even though we were some distance from the blast," one elderly man, with a bandage wrapped round his head, told a public television channel.

No one claimed responsibility for the coordinated detonations, which echoed similar attacks that have struck Damascus and Syria's second city Aleppo since December.

The explosions came just two days after the first anniversary of the uprising, in which more than 8,000 people have been killed and about 230,000 forced to flee their homes, according to United Nations figures.

They also coincided with a joint mission by the Syrian government, the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation that was due to start assessing humanitarian needs in towns across Syria which have suffered from months of unrest.

One source involved in the mission said team members were still gathering in Syria and it was not immediately clear if they would begin their work this weekend as previously planned.

Kofi Annan isn't through with his efforts to convince Assad to talk to the opposition - despite the Syrian National Council refusing to discuss anything until Assad steps down. And any UN investigation into the violence will be geared toward "terrorism" and criminals" according to the Syrian government who says they are behind the unrest.

Al-Qaeda may very well be taking a hand in the revolt by sowing confusion and fear among the populace in Damascus and Aleppo, Syria's second largest city. It's a good reason not to give any material support to the rebels until we're sure that the terrorists are not working with them.